diff --git a/src/environment.h b/src/environment.h
index b45775f4c..1b1cfc50a 100644
--- a/src/environment.h
+++ b/src/environment.h
@@ -110,9 +110,9 @@ protected:
 	 * Below: values managed by m_time_lock
 	*/
 	// Time of day in milli-hours (0-23999); determines day and night
-	u32 m_time_of_day = 9000;
-	// Time of day in 0...1
-	float m_time_of_day_f = 9000.0f / 24000.0f;
+	u32 m_time_of_day = 5250;
+	// Time of day in 0...1; start 5:15am unless overridden by game
+	float m_time_of_day_f = 5250.0f / 24000.0f;
 	// Stores the skew created by the float -> u32 conversion
 	// to be applied at next conversion, so that there is no real skew.
 	float m_time_conversion_skew = 0.0f;
diff --git a/src/serverenvironment.cpp b/src/serverenvironment.cpp
index 19dff956e..1bc7c6eb5 100644
--- a/src/serverenvironment.cpp
+++ b/src/serverenvironment.cpp
@@ -633,8 +633,8 @@ void ServerEnvironment::loadMeta()
 	}
 
 	setTimeOfDay(args.exists("time_of_day") ?
-		// set day to morning by default
-		args.getU64("time_of_day") : 9000);
+		// set day to early morning by default
+		args.getU64("time_of_day") : 5250);
 
 	m_last_clear_objects_time = args.exists("last_clear_objects_time") ?
 		// If missing, do as if clearObjects was never called